Working on a Cruise Ship in the Hawaiian Islands

Who knew working on a cruise ship in the Hawaiian Islands would be so fun – it even helped me travel around the world!

And I certainly remember the experience I had like it was yesterday.

The thunder roars in cugnance with the incoming sea as the winds howl unapprovingly into the cliffy rock side.

Black sea crabs scatter frantically into the holes beneath the white, debris scattered sand along the beach while the palm trees sway dangerously from side to side, hitting each other with a loud CLACK that resembles the sound of two boards hitting each other head on at full force.

From land, all hell had broke loose leaving everyone and everything taking cover but from my humble abode aboard the 926 foot cruise ship, there was a different story to be told.

The Captain had just rounded the end of the Na Pali Coastline and began to turn this massive vessel in preparation for our return to port in Oahu. Although a storm was raging over the island of Kauai and along the length of the coastline, the sun was shining impressively allowing everyone to take advantage of the perfect photo op.

The sun clashing with the rain revealed the perfect double rainbow which left all the ‘pleasantly plump’ lotion covered sunburnt tourist gleeful with joy while they posed for their chubby pictures. What could I say…they were having the times of their lives.

Cruising Life | Life in the Hawaiian Islands

Working on a cruise ship is one of the most memorable moments in my life that I never thought I’d get the chance to experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of fun but while living on a ship you must have that ‘work hard, play hard” mentality. Work is 7 days a week and the contract lasts for 5-6 months minimum and 8-9 months maximum.

Yeah…and it’s a lot of work.

You have strict guidelines to go by, plenty of work to do, and you always have to do it with a smile! The living arrangement are tight…real tight. Depending on the department you work on and your position on the ship, living arrangement can vary from anywhere between 2-4 to a cabin. If you’re in upper management, then your cabins are only 1-2 to a cabin which isn’t as bad and beds are bunk style.

Don’t get me wrong, working for a cruise line was definitely hard work but the tradeoff was worth it. I was not only stationed in Hawaii, but able to leave the ship nearly every day. I had the opportunity to surf in Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. I drove various scooters around Kauai, visited Waimea Canyon (aka the Grand Canyon of the Pacific), and even rented a Mustang Convertible and drove to Kihei as well…now that was a lot of fun!

Two days out of the week we overnighted on the islands which offered an opportunity to go mainland and mingle with the locals. Although I did enjoy the bars every once in a while, I mainly stuck to playing at the beach, snorkeling and backpacking. If I was nowhere to be found, chances are I was napping in my hammock right off the beach and playing my ukulele…good times!

There’s tons to do off the ship with your flexible-block shift work schedule but don’t let me forget about the ship life itself. Although crew quarters were limited, we still had our own gym, buffet, swimming pool, sun deck and even a bar/entertainment room that came with a pool table and 3 big screen televisions.

Don’t ask me how we played pool on a rocking ship at sea but somehow we managed…lol.

The “library” which consisted of two large bookshelves, also had a big screen television with multicolored sofas where we could play video games. I almost forgot to mention the movie rental department where a very large collection of movies were available for loan as well as toys of various kinds that we could take off the ship like a football, volleyball, bicycle’s, snorkeling gear and yes, even a grill.

Having the privileges of leaving crew quarters and visiting the guest areas twice a week and on our overnights, I was able to enjoy some great food at various restaurants like the Lazy J Steakhouse as well as some sushi!

If you didn’t know, I LOVE sushi and with a crew rate of only $15 USD for all you can eat, I ate there quite frequently. If I wasn’t in the mood for sushi, then another place I frequented was the steakhouse because a four course meal only cost you $20 USD…and that was including your 10oz Fillet Mignon with that Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail.

This was fantastic and the best part was after dinner where I had the opportunity to enjoy the guest entertainment such as a comedy and magic show. If I felt like I wanted to “move it move it”, then we were also permitted to enjoy the night life onboard by hitting up the clubs and having a few drinks at the bar while we danced the night away.

I particularly remember this most during my birthday where I had the night off. With a great bartender we had some good times! Living and working on a cruise ship for two contracts resembled some of the hardest working, yet funnest times I’ve had while traveling!

Could you ever take a job working on a cruise ship in the Hawaiian Islands – especially if it payed you enough to travel around the world?

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Ronald Robbins is the Founder of Active Planet Travels adventure travel blog and Clicta Digital, a virtual digital marketing agency based out of Denver, Colorado. He has found most of his professional interests in being an adventure travel blogger, photographer & bizarre food enthusiast.

70 Comments

I’ve always been fascinated by those who have worked on a cruise ship. I’ve been teaching ESL and traveling for 6 years and I’d love to give this a shot sometime in the near future for a totally new experience and way of saving up for the next big adventure.

That’s good to hear! The thing about cruise ships is just what I said above: You’ve got to have that ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’ mentality. Now don’t get me wrong, I had an absolute BLAST while I worked aboard the Pride of America in Hawaii but this is a fantastic way to save a lot of money very quickly. I would highly recommend it to anyone! I myself am looking into teaching ESL here soon…it’s like we’re swapping gears here…lol

This may sound like a dumb question… I’ve always been interested in working on a cruise ship, and I have a family connection that could probably get me a decent job opportunity, but I get pretty seasick. Do you know of any staff that had an issue with this, and if it affected them at all while working?

Hey Ellen! This is not a dumb question at all. Many of the crew members initially do get sea-sick when they first start ship life. The ships generally have a clinic and active doctor onboard that help you with this and when you do get sick they have remedies/medicine to help get you by. Generally speaking though, the ships are so large that you really don’t have to worry about it unless the ocean is super rocky! 😉

I’m completely intrigued with the idea of working on a cruise ship while traveling. We want to experience all kinds of travel and working while traveling. I can see I will need to talk to you some more about this to figure out what’s the best way to do this.

Absolutely Kimmy. Working on a cruise ship has been one of the most impactful jobs I’ve ever had (other than blogging of course)! I highly recommend for you & anyone else to do it. If you need any tip, information or recommendations just let me know, I’d be more than happy to help. 🙂

Interesting read. I knew the workers put in very long days. It sounds like the “keep smiling” approach is the key to a happy experience. I’ve always thought the people who do the cleaning (especially) and cooking really earn those tips.

Thanks Mike. I think the longest days I had put in lasted about a week long somewhere around 13-15 hours per day but of course, that was the craziest week I had during my career as cruise ship employee. Most of the people who earn tips are the servers & bartenders…at least on the particular ship that I worked anyways. 🙂

Very interesting–I’ve always wondered what the hours were like working on a cruise ship. I figured it would be a lot of hard work, but like you said, the benefits can be worth it! Looks like a great experience to have!

I jumped at the opportunity to work on a cruise the moment I attended the job fair. To me, it was alluring. Then I got hired. And very nervous. I will be on the Pride of America in exactly one month, after doing the training in Maryland.

It bothers me that I’m so hesitant when I was so ready to GO when they gave me the call. I will be an Assistant Cook, and I was reading other reviews, the kitchen works insane hours, unpaid overtime, discriminate against women in the kitchen (I thought that’s where we belong ;)). Can you confirm the overtime ordeal, since they are, in fact, a U.S. ship who “follows U.S. labor laws”?

Anyway, again, very glad I came across this positive post.They say if you dont try you’ll never know….thanks for being a motivation even after the fact this post is 3 years old!

Wish you the best in all your travels, there’s always so much more to see; feed that desire!

It’s perfectly normal to be a little nervous, the key thing is to not back out! You’re about to take one of the most rewarding steps in your travel career and I promise you won’t regret it!

As far as the work is concerned and doing overtime, although I worked in a different department (I was a cocktail server) all of my overtime did indeed follow the U.S. labor laws and, from what I understand, this was the case for everyone who worked on the ship; U.S. citizen or not.

But go out and have fun on there. I still know several people who work on this same ship and they absolutely love it/couldn’t imagine doing anything else! Good luck on your travels and keep in touch while you’re working onboard. I’d love to hear all the new news! 😉

Hey!
I just recently went to a orientation and offered a job on board the Pride of America. I a very excited but still feel like I have a lot of questions left unanswered..
Do you mind clarifying some things for me?
1) How long On average does the process take from being offered a job to starting training?
2) What should I be doing to prepare myself for this new adventure?
3) Do you have any tips of stuff I should bring with me (stuff that’s not obvious at first) and things I should not take?
4) When should I inform my job about this new position? When should I leave the current job?
Thank you for posting this. It’s nice to see stuff like this when there is not a lot of stuff to read about this new adventure I am about to take.
Look forward from hearing from you.
Thanks again
-Daniel

I am super excited for you; you’re going to have TONS of fun! When I got hired on, it took approximately 4-6 months before I actually stepped foot onto the Pride of America. The sooner you get the requested documentation turned in, the better. Regarding preparing yourself, a simple bag full of clothes (such as 1 piece of checked luggage) should be more than enough to get you by. Take 2 different types of dress clothing outfits, lots of bathing suits and of course sandals.

When I worked there, I was able to purchase actually purchase a surfboard and keep it in my room – being in Hawaii this comes super handy. haha I’ve even seen a handful of people purchase one of those foldable bikes so that you have the opportunity to go farther while exploring the islands.

When it comes down to your current job, I would give them a proper 2 weeks notice as required by most employers. If you’ve already been given the job, I would personally recommend taking a month vacation and going somewhere before you start the contract. Generally they can last up to about 6 months and go for as long as 9 (this was the case while I was employed) and the cruise line will pay for your flight to Honolulu which is pretty awesome. Providing you finish the contract, they’ll pay your way home as well.

I hope this helps out! Do let me know if you have any more questions! 😀

I was just offered a position aboard the Pride of America I the Utility Dept. I have submitted all paperwork that has been required including applying for my TWIC Card. I have a couple of questions.

1. They had me send my TWIC Card to Hawaii did you have to do the same?

2. Went for my physical and the only thing that was suggested was further evaluation of my hearing. I’m nervous about that as I have already applied for my TWIC Card.

It seams to me everything is moving quite fast as it’s only been 1 week since I’ve accepted the position and they wanted everything to them no later than the 30th of this month. I’m guessing that after everything passes it will be a waiting period. Am I thinking right?

Thanks for stopping by! I actually didn’t have to send my TWIC Card ahead of time, so I suspect some things have been changed but that’s to be expected. I’m sure everything will work out fine for your hearing – shoplift can be rather noisy especially in the Utility Department but I’m sure you won’t have a problem!

Regarding the time, it can vary greatly for everyone. On average for anyone that I’ve spoken to about their employment, it was a rather lengthy process but if the cruise line is trying to fill up their position quickly, I’m sure they can make the time go by very quickly!

Hi! This post has been super inspirational to me! I actually just went to a job fair for working on the pride of America last Wednesday with my friend. He got a cjo Saturday night from the recruiter he interviewed with, but I haven’t recieved any word yet. I’m so nervous!!! After hearing about it, I was a bit skeptical about the whole thing. But now, I’m actually looking forward to getting hired and being able to travel/work! How long did it take you to hear back after interviewing?

Hey Mina, I’m super glad that I can be of help! It took on average a few months for them to get back to me – it was pretty similar with my fellow crew mates as well. However, on the off chance, a handful of people got called back within just a couple of weeks. I think it ultimately depends on how soon the ship needs crew. 🙂

Hey Mina, not a worry! They actually offered me a position right there on the spot but it took a couple of months before it actually opened up and gave me a date to fly out to Honolulu. Did you have your interview with the Norwegian Cruise Line job fair? It’s odd that they didn’t give you an answer (yes or no) right there on the spot. I’d be expecting a call soon or would even consider following up with them…professionally of course! lol 😉

Hello! I enjoyed your blog. I also have worked in a cruise ship- Royal Caribbean on oasis of the seas and navigator. I will be joining POA this November so I’m anxious to see what this is like. I work in the spa ; I’m a Steiner.

hi! thanks for writing this post! I was recently offered a cocktail server job on POA. what was your schedule like?I really wanna see all the islands and do everything possible! where did people get those fold up bikes you mentioned? and how clean are the rooms? I know there are weekly inspections but is keeping your room clean an absolute must?? I’m a clean freak. I roomed with only one other person on a boat before. 2-3 sounds intense. any way, thanks for keeping up with the post! I’m open to any and everything u can tell me about the position and ship!

Hey Kashell, thanks for stopping by! You’re schedule is kind of all over the place and varies from day to day. Work is 7 days a week for the length of your contract. On any particular day, I was expected to work 3 or 4 short shifts with anywhere from 30 minutes break to a few hours off in between. Hope that helps! 🙂

Hi I got a hired a while back and start my training March 13th which is rather soon lol but extremely nervous and excited at the same time…so what’s the training like and how long before you board the ship after that? But super pumped to start this new journey…I’m going to be a waiters assistant do you know what that’s like and how where your roommates

Hey Jonathan! Training isn’t too bad – my favorite part was definitely acting as a fireman to put out the fires in a building…GREAT team building exercises. You’ll board the ship directly after within a pretty short period of time (at least I did anyways). You should move up from waiters assistant to an actual waiter pretty quickly, the job isn’t bad. Long hours (just like bar serving) and your roommates are chosen at the last minute as you actually board the ship and go through orientation.

One bit of advice I can give: if you’re one of the lucky ones who get to be the first in a cabin, claim a bottom bunk for yourself because it makes ALL the difference in the world! Good luck buddy & have a great time!

Hey Jasmine! While I was onboard, there were actually a few people who were couples and worked together. When you apply, I’d recommend doing so together and, once one of you land an interview, bring up the subject directly after you’re offered a position. 🙂

Hi Ronald, So I’m about to start my position as Cocktail Server aboard The Pride of America in about 2 weeks. I’ve been working as a bartender in Philadelphia, sometimes even acting as bar manager for a few years. I’m wondering how are the opportunities to get promoted to Bartender. Also would you mind describing the job duties for Cocktail Server and maybe, if you could, the tip situation (average amount/frequency). Thank you for your informative article and your help. It’s very much appreciated.

Hey James! It’s pretty easy to work your way up to bartender, the key is to stick around for a few contracts and begin bartender training whenever you can as the turnover rate on a cruise ship is pretty high.

In regards to tipping, it’s pretty regular and the paychecks are well worth the position considering pretty much every finance is covered by the ship!

Hey Kourtney – first off congratulations on your new gig onboard the cruise ship! When you get onboard, there is an opportunity to change jobs but it’s only for those that are available. Just go to the human resources department onboard the ship and let them know you’re interested in switching jobs (either within or outside your department).

But don’t let the bad reviews put you down about this fantastic opportunity that most people would kill for! Either way you look at it, you’re still getting paid to sail around the Hawaiian Islands…and quite handsomely too!

Greetings! Did you receive health benefits during the duration of your contract? If so, did you HAVE to have them, or could you opt out? How often do they drug test? Also, once your contract is up, did you have the option to switch to a different cruise ship/country? I may decide to come aboard this ship as a bar waitress !

Hey Cat – thanks for swinging by! You do have the option to switch to a different cruise ship at the end of your contract. In regards to contractual agreements, that would be best answered by your recruiter as these things change frequently. 🙂

The best thing you can do is build up your resume around the job you wish to have on the cruise ship, be persistent at applying for the position and be blunt when it comes to talking to a recruiter. Ask them why you haven’t been chosen even though you’ve applied multiple times and see what they’re recommendations are for increasing your likelihood of getting accepted next time. You’ll be surprised at the results and the kind of feedback you get!

I’m current working at ncl and there is one question that never, actually, was answered. Is it true that only Americans work in the Pride of America?

Because I heard from a fellow crew member that he as a Canadian he could go to pride but I as a Brazilian, I couldn’t. He also told me that is some nationalities such as British, Irish, Canadians, Australians and some others but apparently the ones who has a free visa to USA, once the ship only does Hawai as itinerary.

I’m a sales Assistant, I work in the shops Onboard, I actually don’t work to ncl but Onboard of their ships, but the rules must be the same, I guess.

I’d be honored if you can answer my question, because it is something who bothered me through the times. I’m on vacation now, and would love to ask to go to pride, if I can do it.

Thanks for reaching out! Unless they’ve changed in recent years (of which I highly doubt this) this is not true at all. I worked alongside people of many nationalities on the Pride of America including the those from parts of the Philippines, St. Lucia, Canada, and many other countries. I can say from a first-hand experience that the ship is quite diverse. If anything, Americans would probably be a minority on the ship. 🙂

I’m a 38 year old construction worker and I’m looking for a change in the job scenery. Would they have a job that would use my skills on the cruise ships? Also what is the average pay that they pay? Thanks Timmy

Hey Timmy, thanks for swinging by! The skillset across the ship can vary quite a bit. I don’t think you’re going to find a construction job per-say, but you may be able to get a job as a mechanic of sorts down in the engine room. That being said, I’ve seen people from all walks of life and all backgrounds get hired onboard. If you’re a people person, I’d say give the hospitality side of things a shot. The jobs pay decently and can still be a lot of fun.

I did a little more research for you and took a look at the NCL America career page (https://www.ncl.com/about/careers/shipboard-employment). While I don’t see any construction jobs, you may be able to get hired on as a mechanic of sorts. Take a look for yourself and see what you find! I’m interested to see if you can narrow down a gig.

Hello Ron,
I was hired as a server assistant and am a bit concerned about having to carry a tray with 12 plates on it, my back is not what it used to be! is this true that this position carries that many plates on a tray? I saw on YouTube videos of the crew rooms, but there were only 2 people to a room, is this common or do you really share a room with 3-4 other crew? I have also been hired as a flight attendant and am not sure which job I should take. I feel at my age a flight attendant job would be a job for me to retire versus working on POA til I retire. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you,
David

Thanks for reaching out. Apologies for the long wait in response – my schedule has been pretty hectic now since I’ve settled down a bit.

As far as your questions about the position, it’s been quite a few years since I’ve worked on the ship but I’m happy to try and shed a bit of light on the situation. It can be a little intimidating as far as the workload and hours goes. And yes, I have seen some waiters/waitresses carry massive trays but at the end of the day, they’re not going to push you past your physical limitations. You’d be surprised at what you’re able to do on a ship with a little training. Even when I was working on the ship, there’d be days I was carrying upwards of 12 drinks on a single tray (outside, on a windy day, and while in route to the next island).

Depending on the position you’re in as well as your ranking will depend on your rooming situation. A few years ago, only officers stayed in rooms of 2 people and those lower down on the totem pole (myself included) were stuck 3 to a room. This could have definitely changed though. It all depends on the position you’re in when you start out. If I were to make an assumption, I would say you’re going to be 3 to a room (I highly doubt they’ll have 4 in there).

It’s hard to say which job you should take. Both flight attendants and cruise ship work has their ups and downs. Not to mention this is going to vary depending on your current time in life. My best recommendation would be to sit down and compare the positive and negatives, then make a decision based on that.

I hope that helps, man! Good luck in your moves going forward – it sounds like you have one hell of an adventure ahead of you!

Hey Travis! I’m not sure what the pay and benefits is going to look like at this point. It’d be best to reach out to someone who’s currently on the ship and investigate this way…it’s been a few years since I’ve worked here. lol

Hello Ron,
I found your blog post really helpful as my husband and I are about to embark to Hawaii sometime hopefully in December as new crew members on the Pride of America. Could you tell me a little bit about your experience of what you remember the food setup was like and what times each meal was offered in the buffet? My husband and I are predominantly plant-based but are super flexible with eating what is available, and we are aware our options will be extremely limited. Do you remember an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables (salad bar), and other options that did not involve meat or dairy besides rice? I just want to mentally prepare and bring aboard some staple items if necessary. I appreciate all of your helpful advice.
Take care,
Morgan

Thank you for reaching out. When I was onboard they served meals 3 times per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and provided snacks in between. I wouldn’t be too concerned with vegetarian or vegan options as there are plenty available. They also gave us access to the guest dining areas, too, when I was onboard although this was limited to a certain number of times per month.

I live in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island and can see the Pride of America every Wednesday from my house! I’m an RN and would love to join the medical team on the ship! Are there jobs for nurses on board and are there job fairs in Hawaii? What would be the best way for me to apply for this or other positions as well on the ship?

Hey! I was considering going to a job fair coming up in Oregon, but I’m from Hawaii. Do I need to wait for a job fair in Hawaii to be able to work in my home state or do we get to choose where we are based even if going to an out of state job fair? Thank you!

I read all of these posts and I appreciate you responding to people’s questions the one question I really want to know is how did you get to do all those fun excursions if you were working 7 days a week three to four shifts a day?

Thanks for your comment. You typically find ways to go on excursions in between your shifts. So if you end up working and have a 3-4 hour shift off, you can find time to squeeze in an excursion. It’s well worth it! 🙂

On average as a cocktail server, what would you say your takeaway in money was for the six months? I know you make tips, however is this in cash or more of an addition to your paycheck situation. I’ve been a bartender for many years and i’m just trying to really understand what I will be making besides the typical $8 an hour.

Thanks for your comment. It’s hard to put an exact number on it but what I can say is you typically make money in a couple of different ways. For me, I made money through my hourly wage, cash tips, tips received from sales, and a percentage of sales at the end of that particular cruise. Not sure if it’s changed over the last several years but when you don’t have a lot of bills the money adds up quick!